If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Last time we were in Newport Beach, we did a whale watching trip. That was fun.

My brother did that in Sandy Eggo last week. They went out in a small 22'-ish RIB with 2 other passengers. They were able to speed up to the pod, cut the engine, and have the pod surface all around them. It was a more pleasurable experience than their friends who went on the 250 person whale watching ship.

So we wisely and successfully avoided the second day at Disneyland. For my friends who went one husband reported in a text that it was 'Hot as balls...' and crowded. It got up near 90 degrees that day at the park. Meanwhile we were watching dolphins and whales in a pleasant breeze.

Beach, bike rides, night swimming, surfing, boogie boards, dolphin and whale watching, sand castles, Disneyland, eating out, balboa bars, campfire on the beach... The only thing that went wrong was my daughter getting carsick and throwing up, which happens 100% of the time. It is how we know we are on vacation. Still she got it all in the bag... Nice work kiddo.

So we wisely and successfully avoided the second day at Disneyland. For my friends who went one husband reported in a text that it was 'Hot as balls...' and crowded. It got up near 90 degrees that day at the park. Meanwhile we were watching dolphins and whales in a pleasant breeze.

Beach, bike rides, night swimming, surfing, boogie boards, dolphin and whale watching, sand castles, Disneyland, eating out, balboa bars, campfire on the beach... The only thing that went wrong was my daughter getting carsick and throwing up, which happens 100% of the time. It is how we know we are on vacation. Still she got it all in the bag... Nice work kiddo.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's a great family place. We've been there a dozen different summers, at least. When our kids have their own families we plan to have an annual (maybe semi-annual) week-long gathering for the whole clan there if we can pull that off. Everyone in the family loves Balboa.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats

“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

The wife & I are headed to Iceland in June for 6 days.
Anyone been there? Suggestions?

Our itinerary is wide open and we're gathering ideas.

Super jealous. A good friend of mine went there last year, and loved it. Yes, get a car, and explore the small towns. That's what he did and loved it.
He showed me pictures of the coastal towns and they looked amazing.
have fun.

I'll have three free days in London this May. Never been there. What are the must-see places? (We do intend to go back. This will partly be a scouting trip for future visits.)

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats

“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

I'll have three free days in London this May. Never been there. What are the must-see places? (We do intend to go back. This will partly be a scouting trip for future visits.)

British museum is a must see. The National Gallery, if you like art museums is fantastic. Both free.
Westminster Abbey makes for a great 2-3 hours. And lots to see walking around the area.
St. Paul's cathedral is nice. We happened in when the choir was practising, so that was extra nice.
If you like taking walks, we went from Westminster Abbey, through St. Jame's Park to Buckingham Palace by foot. Very nice. Lots of pubs and cafes around the area to relax along the way.

British museum is a must see. The National Gallery, if you like art museums is fantastic. Both free.
Westminster Abbey makes for a great 2-3 hours. And lots to see walking around the area.
St. Paul's cathedral is nice. We happened in when the choir was practising, so that was extra nice.
If you like taking walks, we went from Westminster Abbey, through St. Jame's Park to Buckingham Palace by foot. Very nice. Lots of pubs and cafes around to relax along the way.

We didn't hit the National Gallery. "Not another museum," cried the children. The Red Lion pub near Westminster was fun- kids loved it so we went back again.

We didn't hit the National Gallery. "Not another museum," cried the children. The Red Lion pub near Westminster was fun- kids loved it so we went back again.

My daughter loves art even more than I do, so if anything, she dragged me into it.
Pubs are great, especially out in the country. We spent a week in Derbyshire (aka heaven), and the locally sourced food in the pubs was very tasty. Didn't know beef could taste that good.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats

“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

Then you need to explore the marshes and bogs where Pip first encountered Magwich.

I think you mean Magwitch.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats

“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

I'm going to be in Manchester for a week this summer, and am going to add some extra days for me and Mrs. to explore.
We've seen the major stuff on previous trips in London, Wales, south coast, east coast, Liverpool, Edinburgh, etc. This time we wanted to go into the highlands of Scotland and enjoy the scenery. I feel like I've seen enough castles for a lifetime, but I'm a sucker for cathedrals and abbeys.
Any recommendations for stuff up north?

I'm going to be in Manchester for a week this summer, and am going to add some extra days for me and Mrs. to explore.
We've seen the major stuff on previous trips in London, Wales, south coast, east coast, Liverpool, Edinburgh, etc. This time we wanted to go into the highlands of Scotland and enjoy the scenery. I feel like I've seen enough castles for a lifetime, but I'm a sucker for cathedrals and abbeys.
Any recommendations for stuff up north?

I do plan a future trip to Scotland. It's my ancestral homeland on both sides and I've never been. So I will be watching you for ideas.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
--Yeats

“True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

Spending a month, all of July in England. 3 weeks of it are business, and 1 week of fun. Taking the Mrs. along. Super excited. Giving lectures at 3 universities, including one at Oxford. Kinda nervous about that one..... I own one tie and no suit or sports jacket...
Summers are miserable where I live, so I wont mind spending the worst part of summer in the 50s and 60s.

Anyway, we're spending our 1 week of fun up in Northern Scotland. Going all the way to the top. Skipping the islands (Shetland, Orkneys, Outer Hebridies), which I fear may be a mistake, but the Mrs. is not up for a lot of barfing on ferry rides.... Oh well. 3 days on Isle of Skye, which is accessible via road. Not really sure what were going to do, really like sitting and watching waves hit rocks, and driving and walking around scenic places. Heard the whale watching tours are nice. Planning to take it easy and not have that much of a schedule. Anyone been up that far north? Recommendations?
Kind of tired of seeing castles and manor homes, unless there is something really unique. Heard the Fairy Pools are nice.

Spending a month, all of July in England. 3 weeks of it are business, and 1 week of fun. Taking the Mrs. along. Super excited. Giving lectures at 3 universities, including one at Oxford. Kinda nervous about that one..... I own one tie and no suit or sports jacket...
Summers are miserable where I live, so I wont mind spending the worst part of summer in the 50s and 60s.

Anyway, we're spending our 1 week of fun up in Northern Scotland. Going all the way to the top. Skipping the islands (Shetland, Orkneys, Outer Hebridies), which I fear may be a mistake, but the Mrs. is not up for a lot of barfing on ferry rides.... Oh well. 3 days on Isle of Skye, which is accessible via road. Not really sure what were going to do, really like sitting and watching waves hit rocks, and driving and walking around scenic places. Heard the whale watching tours are nice. Planning to take it easy and not have that much of a schedule. Anyone been up that far north? Recommendations?
Kind of tired of seeing castles and manor homes, unless there is something really unique. Heard the Fairy Pools are nice.

We spent 10 days in England last summer with the kids, most of it in London. We did take an overnight trip and Walked around Oxford. The library is amazing. We then spent the next morning at Stonehenge and stopped by Salisbury cathedral to see one of the three remaining original copies of the Magna Carta.

I totally get not wanting to deal with barfing. We drove back to London and went to see Phantom of the Opera. My girls, especially the oldest, had been looking forward to this as the highlight of their trip. Unfortunately my oldest got some stomach bug/car sickness and spent the entire performance with her head in my lap. She assured me she was fine to take the tube back to our apartment and didn't need to use the loo. So we walked out of the theater into the crowded sidewalk and she promptly threw up right in front of the theatre doors, all over my shoes.

Looking for some recommendations for a few days in western Germany.
Friday morning I'm in Frankfurt, and Sunday evening I need to be in Luxembourg. In between, I have a car.
Anything cool in eastern france?
I've heard the WWI sights are interesting. And perhaps WW2 sites up in Belgium?

Looking for some recommendations for a few days in western Germany.
Friday morning I'm in Frankfurt, and Sunday evening I need to be in Luxembourg. In between, I have a car.
Anything cool in eastern france?
I've heard the WWI sights are interesting. And perhaps WW2 sites up in Belgium?

or maybe a southern loop through Zurich?

I'd travel the rummelstraub (sp?) And see neuswanstein

"Be a philosopher. A man can compromise to gain a point. It has become apparent that a man can, within limits, follow his inclinations within the arms of the Church if he does so discreetly." - The Walking Drum

"And here’s what life comes down to—not how many years you live, but how many of those years are filled with bullshit that doesn’t amount to anything to satisfy the requirements of some dickhead you’ll never get the pleasure of punching in the face." – Adam Carolla

"Be a philosopher. A man can compromise to gain a point. It has become apparent that a man can, within limits, follow his inclinations within the arms of the Church if he does so discreetly." - The Walking Drum

"And here’s what life comes down to—not how many years you live, but how many of those years are filled with bullshit that doesn’t amount to anything to satisfy the requirements of some dickhead you’ll never get the pleasure of punching in the face." – Adam Carolla